JiminPA Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Hi all, I am looking to purchse my first BMW, probably an R1200RT. I am undecided which way to go with the suspension. Either go with the ESA or the standard shock and assume I will replace it with an aftermarket such as Wilburs or Works. I have some back trouble and like the ESA set to the comfort setting for most of my riding so I probably wouldn't change it often. I probably ride solo about 75% of the time. I would like to hear what some others have to say on the idea. Jim Link to comment
Mike Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Jim-- To get you started, there's a pretty extensive debate on the subject here. Link to comment
SageRider Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 If you are considering spending the money on ESA, then you can afford premium (Ohlins, etc...) shocks out the door. Get the premium shocks fitted immediately. Link to comment
lthj75 Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Am I the only dope who thinks the RT suspension is more than adequate? Maybe its just me - then again, my other bike is a Harley....hahaha. Link to comment
loujack Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 As someone who rides alone, two up, with and without luggage and all kinds of roads - I like the easy adjustment flexibility that comes with ESA. Link to comment
smiller Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Am I the only dope who thinks the RT suspension is more than adequate?It's just a matter of point of view... there are many who feel that the suspension on your Harley is more than adequate... Link to comment
Pictou Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 No your not. The stock is not as bad as some would have you believe. In fact in my view the BMW stuff is a notch up on most other bikes I have ridden. It is not up to after market stuff but its a long way from being junk in my opinion. Am I the only dope who thinks the RT suspension is more than adequate? Maybe its just me - then again, my other bike is a Harley....hahaha. Link to comment
JiminPA Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 Thanks for all the info. I hope to ride both the ESA and non ESA soon. I must admit I have always ridden dirt bikes and later cruisers with my last bike being an HD Road King so I expext any RT will be a big improvement. I have taken a few very short test rides. As far as a bike with a good aftermarket suspension, I don't think I have ever ridden one so I don't really know how good they can be. I did see some posts about spring rate and I am 6' about 210 lbs. so that may factor into the shock question as well. This web site is great with all the experience and knowledge available. As this will be my first BMW, I am sure I will have a lot of what seems like dumb questions. Thanks again for all the input Link to comment
JohnBeaven Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 No. I agree with you. And I have never ridden a Harley. Link to comment
Bob_Minor Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Why doesn't BMW make an Ohlins option avaialable on the RT like they do with the S? I think that would be the final tipping point for me, a new R12RT would be in the garage shortly. I've had Ohlins on my current and previous oilheads and would never ride one for very long without them. Link to comment
smiller Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Why doesn't BMW make an Ohlins option avaialable on the RT like they do with the S? I think that would be the final tipping point for me, a new R12RT would be in the garage shortly. I've had Ohlins on my current and previous oilheads and would never ride one for very long without them. I agree that it would be a nice option, but then again it might also cut into sales of the ESA option so I wouldn't expect to see BMW offer it very soon. But you can always get an ESA-free bike, upgrade to Ohlins (or whatever), and sell the stockers to help offset the cost (or as many do, retain the stock shocks to use when you are having your aftermarket shocks rebuilt.) Link to comment
RoyTemple Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Until I got the R12RT with ESA, I never adjusted my suspension on previous bikes more than once. Whatever it was, that is how I rode it after that. I like the ESA as I now adjust my suspension fairly regularly, "comfort for highways and easy riding, "sport" for aggressive and twisty roads. I can easily tell the difference. I usually ride one-up so I only use the weight settings when touring with all my gear. Another happy camper with ESA Link to comment
Mdcruiser Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 I LOVE the ESA suspension -- and I would be very disappointed had I purchased my RT without it. Link to comment
LuckyLeif Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Why doesn't BMW make an Ohlins option avaialable on the RT like they do with the S? I think that would be the final tipping point for me, a new R12RT would be in the garage shortly. I've had Ohlins on my current and previous oilheads and would never ride one for very long without them. That's what I attempted to do when I ordered my RT. Unfortunately, can only install Ohlins after delivery. Seems like the mothership is missing an opportunity here - maybe there is an exclusivity clause with the OEM shock supplier (White P?) for the high volume models (GS, RT) that was negotiated during pricing?? Link to comment
Fran Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I have an 05 RT, non ESA, switched to Ohlins, night and day, Many claim the ESA gets soft over time requiring rebuild and/or replacement. Do yourself a favor and see if you can ride an aftermarket shock equipped RT, then and only then will you see the difference. Gone is the wallowing, the dive of the nose between shifts, etc. While the stock stuff is ok, I feel it is soft and can be improved upon. Never ridden an ESA equipped bike so I can't comment. just my 2 cents worth. Fran Link to comment
Leo Flor Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I value the convinience of electrically adjusting the pre-load for those times when I have a passenger and/or luggage, and the damping to suit the ride conditions. Since I like pure and unadulterated BMW, I'm glad that the stock suspension on the R1200RT is just right for me and I do not have to venture beyond its limits. There are premium after-market suspension systems that offer the same convenience and quite probably better performance. After you've seen the responses to your post, you decide what would suit you best. Good luck on your new bike, whichever one you choose. Link to comment
Recon Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 I commute about 120 mi/day and its a mix of high-speed straights and twisties. IMHO the ESA works fantastic. When riding on the straight slab the comfort or normal settings are perfect, and the sport setting in the twisties really tightens the bike's response. Note that I am 215 and as such ride with the ESA set to 1-up + luggage. At last check, I think the manual indicates that the 1-up setting is a setup for a 178 (or 187) lb person. But, that's an opinion from someone who hasn't been on a non-ESA RT...then again, I'd ride any RT at this point and be happy Link to comment
AceVentura Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 ...the dive of the nose between shifts... I thought the "dive" was me not being smooth enough with my shifts. When I ride more agressively the "dive" is a bit irritating. I am putting after-market shocks on my list of things to do. Link to comment
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